Over three millennia of tradition and change are celebrated in the rich and diverse artistic traditions of Mexico through pottery, paintings, folk art and prints. Along with traditional textiles and masks are pieces by the most influential 20th century Mexican artists including Diego Rivera, Raul Anguiano, Miguel Covarrubias and José Clemente Orozco.

The exhibition explores ancient traditions centered around ritual and performance through artifacts from over a dozen Pre-Columbian cultures, revealing scenes of an often mysterious past. They reveal a world of ceremony and celebration, of ritual warfare and the veneration of the dead, offering a unique view of the world. These often poignant, sometimes charming, portrayals display an approach to life that has continued in Mexican culture for centuries. Featuring the pottery, paintings, folk art and prints from the Gilcrease Museum, this traveling exhibition was developed and managed by Smith Kramer Fine Art Services of Kansas City, Missouri.

This exhibition is made possible in part with the support of the City of Hampton and the Hampton Arts Commission, the City of Newport News, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.